Maternity frock



Jan. 7, 19410 J MQTT 2,22%,234

MATERNITY FROCK Filed Feb. 26, 1940 INJENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATERNITY FROCK Jeanette Mott, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application February 26, 1940, Serial No. 320,914

Claims.

An object of this invention is to provide a frock which can be worn throughout a period of pregnancy; which is relatively slender at the start and which can be let out from time to time to accom- 5 modate the figure of the wearer as it bulges outwardly and downwardly while the entire skirt portion including the hem remains substantially in the initial position, thereby combining a stylish and neat appearance with comfort to the last.

This is accomplished by having the skirt and bodice portions secured together at the back and partly around the sides, preferably with an intermediate front or apron section therebetween, the upper portion of the apron section and the lower portion of the bodice having means such as plaits, preferably at the sides, which at first are closed by snap fasteners or the like and which can be let out, one at a. time, as desired, to accommodate the apron portion or front to the bulging figure. For the same reason, the fronts of the skirt and bodice portions are secured only by means of a bib front extending upwardly, from the middle of the apron portion and having separable fasteners by means of which it can be secured to any one of a number of complementary fasteners on the bodice. The whole provides a front which is nearly straight at first but which gives a more and more roundly bagging effect which at all stages naturally and comfortably fits the bulging abdomen of the wearer and which is greatly aided bythe roundly dipping front line of the bottom of the apron portion.

These and other objects, as will hereinafter appear, are accomplished by the invention which is fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a nearly front View of a figure wearing a frock embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed View of the side plaits showing them partly open.

The frock shown is without overblouse which may be of any style to suit the existing fashion but has simple straight sides which have a series of vertical sewed-in concealed plaits under the arm and extending out along the under side of the arm which may be opened from the bottom as needed to give the necessary room.

The frock illustrated, preferably comprses a bodice I0, a front or apron portion l l and a skirt l2, the latter two being sewed together by a seam l3 which preferably starts near the hip on each side and dips in front for a purpose later to be explained. The bodice and apron portions are secured together by a line of stitching l4 across the back which ends at a side point Ma, leaving the front of these portions. unsecured to each other except by a bib 15 which preferably has one element of spaced separable fasteners l6 secured thereto and adapted to engage any pair of complementary elements ll, I8 or IS on the bodice to meet the needs of the wearer as will later be seen. The bodice preferably opens at the front line Illa and is secured as by separable fasteners not shown. This apron front is worn up as shown in Fig. 1 in full lines, but may be turned down as shown in dotted lines to fasten the front of the bodice.

A side plait 29 is provided at each side of the apron section and is shown in detail in Fig. 3. It is worn closed at first and'is held in place by snap fasteners or the like 2|, 22 on meeting surfaces. A similar plait 23 at each side provide additional fullness when needed.

The lower portion of the bodice is also provided with V-shaped plaits 24, 25 at each side and are also secured as by means of separable fasteners as 26, 27.

When some or all of these side and V-shaped plaits are released and the fasteners l6 within the bib are secured to corresponding fasteners l8 or IS the apron bags into the dotted line of position Fig. 2, largely because the lower edge of the apron portion II is firmly secured to the skirt by the seam [3, while the middle portion is given roundness by opening the V-shaped plaits 2t, 23, 24 and 25 at each side. To accomplish this bagging effect, particularly in the vertical plane, it is necessary that the top of the bib be dropped and this is accomplished by means of the pairs of spaced fasteners ll, 18, IS. The effect of all this is to provide a front to the frock which accommodates itself naturally and easily to the wearer at all stages and provides a frock which is both neat and comfortable.

The several plaits may, if desired, be secured by stitching instead of separable fasteners, but this is not so desirable for the reason that the latter can be opened for puttingthe frock on or taking it off. The wide girth of the skirt at the hips when these are unfastened enables the user to step into the frock or out of it thereby obviating the necessity for stretching her arms over her head as is required by many frocks in putting them on or taking them off. This feature is highly regarded by obstetricians.

The spaces under the armpits are preferably left open for greater comfort and freedom of movement. This space is then covered by the overblouse which has previously been described.

It will also be apparent that I may use only the fasteners l 6, l1 and insert horizontal plaits in the upper part of the bib (not shown) which can be ripped, one at a time, to add additional length to the bib to provide the bulging in the vertical plane.

While I have shown and described a few embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a garment of the class described, a bodice,

a skirt secured to the bodice across the back and along the sides so as to support the entire skirt and having its front cut away below the waistline forming a remaining front skirt part with its upper edge below the waist line, and an apron sewed at its bottom to said upper edge of the skirt, means on the apron for permitting circumferential expansion-of the apron in a horizontal plane, and means for adjustably securing the apron to the bodice at any one of a plurality of heights to permit expansion in the vertical plane.

2. In a garment of the class described, a bodice,

a skirt secured to the bodice across the back and along the sides so as to support the entire skirt and having its front cut away below the waist line forming a remaining front skirt part with its upper edge below the waist line, and an apron sewed at its bottom to said upper edge of the skirt, the apron having a bib, means on the apron for permitting circumferential expansion of the apron in a horizontal plane, and means for adjustably securing the bib to the bodice at any one of a plurality of heights to permit expansion in the vertical plane.

3. In a garment of the class described, a bodice, a skirt secured to the bodice across the back and along the sides so as to support the entire skirt and having its front cut away below the waist line on a line extending downwardly and forwardly from each hip forming a remaining front skirt part with its upper edge below the waist line, and an apron sewed at its bottom to said upper edge of the skirt, means on the apron for permitting circumferential expansion of the apron in a horizontal plane, and means for adjustably securing the apron to the bodice at any one of a plurality of heights to permit expansion in the vertical plane.

4. In a garment of the class described, a bodice, a skirt secured to the bodice across the back and along the sides so as to support the entire skirt and having its front cut away below the waist line on a curving line forming a front skirt portion with a concave upper edge below the waist line,

and an apron having a rounded bottom sewed at its "bottom to said concave upper edge of the skirt, means on the apron for permitting circumferential expansion of the apron in a horizontal plane, and means for adjustably securing the apron to the bodice at any one of a plurality of heights to permit expansion in the vertical plane.

5. In a garment of the class described, a bodice, a skirt secured to the bodice across the back and along the sides so as to support the entire skirt and having its front cut away below the waist line forming a remaining front skirt part with its upper edge below the waist line, and an apron sewed at its bottom to said upper edge of the skirt, the apron having a bib, plaits in the sides of the bodice and in the sides of the apron and separable fasteners in said plaits for permitting circumferential expansion of the apron in a horizontal plane, and means for adjustably securing the bib to the bodice at any one of a plurality of heights to permit expansion in the vertical plane.

JEANETTE MOTT. 

